Fall Asleep In My Arms
by TrueLoveIsAlwaysThere
Summary: Oneshot. Lily and James during their 7th year at Hogwarts. Everyone knows that James is the exact opposite of how Lily sees him. How will Lily realize who the true James is? And when she finally figures it out, what will she do to get the guy who has been chasing her for years?


Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, but sadly, I don't.

A/N: I am assuming you have a basic knowledge of Harry Potter if you are reading this, so there is no introduction to the characters. Just in case you don't know, Lily Evans and James Potter are Harry Potter's parents (but if you don't know this, you must be living under a rock). Enjoy!

**Fall asleep in my arms**

"Hey Evans!"

"What Potter?" She spat out, unable to ignore him.

"How would you like to come into my bed tonight and fall asleep in my arms?"

"Ugh. I can't believe you! Why would you even say that? Your perverted mind is so disgusting I can't even stand being in the same room as you, much less the same bed!"

She started to storm away. He ran after her and grabbed her shoulder.

"One day, Evans, you'll regret refusing my offer. You'll wish that you were there with me, but it will be too late."

He turned and walked away.

_It will never be too late. I'll never stop loving that girl. I've loved her since 4th year, over 3 years, there's no chance that my feelings will suddenly disappear, _James thought with a sigh.

He walked over and sat under his favorite tree.

-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

Months passed.

The summer breezes turned into crisp autumn air.

The falling leaves were covered with snow.

The chill in the air was replaced with sunny warmth.

April showers brought May flowers.

-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

After class one day, James decided to go out and sit under his tree. Maybe he should study or read a book or just relax.

The perfect weather outside was nice after a long day stuck inside the castle.

He was just about to sit down when he heard soft crying coming from the other side of the tree. Slowly, he walked around the tree. There was nobody there, but the sobs were louder. He walked into the first group of shrubs and trees behind it. There, sitting against a giant boulder next to a small stream was Lily Evans.

He ran over to her.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, go away."

"Did someone hurt you?"

She shook her head no. Then he saw the piece of paper clutched in her hand.

_It must have been something that happened at home, _he thought.

"Did something happen to your family?"

Lily couldn't even respond; she just started crying harder.

James sat down next to her, waiting.

When she calmed down, she realized exactly who she was talking to.

She started to slide away from him.

"What did I do, Lily? I was only trying to help."

"Just get away from me, Potter. I want to be alone."

He stood up and started to walk away. Just before he left her sight, he turned back and saw her head in her hands.

"I'll wait for you, Lily. When you need a friend or just someone to talk to I'll be here," he whispered to himself.

Then he walked away.

Unknown to him, Lily heard exactly what he said.

_He is the only one that even tried to help me. I've been out here for hours and not a single one of my "friends" came to find me. They didn't say a word when I left the Great Hall in tears, _she thought.

Her "friends," were her dorm mates, Catherine, Sarah, Jessica, and Alice. Of the three, Alice was the only one who showed true kindness towards Lily. Alice wasn't at breakfast this morning; she had gone home to visit with her family. Dumbledore allowed her to go because she had a newborn brother that she desperately wanted to meet.

The other three girls only tolerated Lily. They mocked Lily behind her back, calling her stupid for turning down the _wonderful_ James Potter. In their eyes, he was perfect.

Nobody understood Lily's contempt for him. She hated how he was always cocky and arrogant. The way he ruffled his hair all the time was infuriating, not adorable like most girls thought. His blatant disregard for the rules and his effortless good grades aggravated Lily to no end.

Lily was the only one who saw all his flaws.

However, Lily realized something. James saw only the good in her.

He never stopped trying despite her countless rejections. He saw her strength and good character. He knew everything about her. Her favorite color, food, class.

She knew nothing about him.

She left the forest more confused than before.

She was still suffering from the news she had gotten this morning, but now she had a mission to distract her a little.

Lily Evans was determined to find out more about James Potter (secretly, of course).

-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

A few weeks passed.

Lily slowly learned all about James.

She overheard snippets of conversation between him and his friends.

She listened to the gossip of girls in the hallway.

She glanced at his grades when papers were handed back.

She even looked at some of the papers sitting on the table in the Head's Common Room when he wasn't there.

She finally knew how she felt.

Now, she needed a plan.

-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-

Lily knew exactly what she needed to do.

After dinner, Lily waited for James to go up to their common room. She knew he would probably lie down on the couch in front of the fireplace because he was out all night last night.

She went up a few minutes after him.

She quietly stepped through the portrait hole and saw James lying down exactly like she hoped.

She walked over to him and whispered "James?" into his ear.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. When he realized who it was, his eyes opened wider in shock.

"Can we talk?"

James nodded.

Lily walked over and sat down on the chair across from him.

"I want to explain what happened the day you found me, James, and what I realized because of it."

James just looked at her, waiting for Lily to start talking.

She told him how she received a letter telling her that her parents had been attacked in their house. A group of Death Eaters had gone through her town, killing innocent Muggles.

She told him that she also got a letter from her sister that day. If Petunia was magical, it would have been a Howler. Petunia blamed Lily for their parents' death, even though it wasn't directly her fault. She told Lily that everything of their parents would be hers, and Lily got nothing. The last few sentences of the letter said, "After you graduate, I never want to see you again. You can come to get your belongings, but I will not be there when you do."

After reading that letter, Lily had run off into the forest, wanting to be alone. She told James how none of her friends even tried to help her, or talk to her. He was the only person who cared.

"After that, I started to realize that you aren't so bad. I was over reacting before, about everything. I wanted to find out more about you, and who you are. And I did. Everything I learned convinced me of one thing, that I want to be with you."

James smiled when she finished and held his arms open to her. Lily slowly walked over towards him. When she was close enough, he pulled her down to lie down next to him.

They lay there for hours, just talking and being together.

"Lils?"

"Yes, James?"

He smiled at her use of his first name.

"I told you that you would wish you could fall asleep in my arms," he said with a smirk.

She lightly hit him on the shoulder.

"Oh, shut up, Potter," she said with a laugh.

"I love you Lily Evans."

"And I love you James Potter."

And with those words, they shared their first kiss of many.


End file.
